Academic Freedom

The policy had only been in effect for two weeks when Chancellor Lee Roberts announced he was reversing it.

Faculty across the UNC System are expressing increased concerns that their safety is at risk following the new UNC System policy that all class syllabi be posted in an online database.

Some faculty members say the "lengthy and vague" policy is a threat to academic freedom in itself and fear it can be used to retaliate against professors who teach unpopular subjects.

UNC System President Peter Hans' decision puts North Carolina in league with other Southern states like Florida and Texas, which legislatively mandate syllabi to be public records.

Right-wing groups are increasingly requesting copies of syllabi and course materials to assess what's being taught in college classrooms. That means universities like UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC Greensboro are having to decide what to turn over, and what faculty can still control.

Anti-DEI groups claim they belong to the public. University leaders say they are faculty members' intellectual property. A look at the copyright debate.